Lots of support for state treasurer candidate Goldberg

Monday

Aug 4, 2014 at 12:01 AM

SOMERSET — Because of the support that she received from the town in the Democratic State Convention earlier this year, state treasurer candidate Deb Goldberg joked that she was going to move to Somerset on Sunday. In fact, she said she was going to move right onto the property owned by Steve and Marilyn Souza on Riverside Avenue where they were hosting a meet and greet for her on Sunday.

George Austin

SOMERSET — Because of the support that she received from the town in the Democratic State Convention earlier this year, state treasurer candidate Deb Goldberg joked that she was going to move to Somerset on Sunday. In fact, she said she was going to move right onto the property owned by Steve and Marilyn Souza on Riverside Avenue where they were hosting a meet and greet for her on Sunday.

At the Massachusetts Democratic State Convention that was held in Worcester in June, all 10 of the Somerset delegates who attended voted for Goldberg to get on the ballot for September's primary. Steve said Somerset was one of only about a half dozen communities that gave 100 percent of its support to Goldberg.

"I guess her message was a good one that she would make a very good state treasurer, that she has a good background, a good family," Steve said. "She seemed to be very sincere, very true."

A lot more people got to see what Steve was talking about at the meet and greet held for Goldberg on the grounds of his waterfront property on Sunday. The candidate for statewide office walked around, shaking hands and chatting with people and then gave a speech to all of those in attendance.

Fall River Mayor William Flanagan came to Somerset to introduce Goldberg at the event on Sunday. He said the state treasurer position has long-lasting effects on cities and towns because that office decides on funding for building new schools, among many other functions. He said Somerset and Fall River have taken advantage of those funds in recent years.

"Deb's a fighter," Flanagan said. "She is someone who is not afraid to get her hands dirty. She is not going to just sit behind the desk."

Goldberg said she is passionate about serving as the state treasurer for a number of reasons.

Goldberg talked about her mother's great-grandmother who came to Boston with 11 children and started a family run small market that ended up turning into Stop & Shop.

"Stop & Shop was about economic stability and economic security, good jobs with good benefits," Goldberg said.

Goldberg said her family ended up getting pushed out of Stop & Shop because they did not want to fire people. Because of that, Goldberg said she used her business and financial skills to help the public sector. She said she founded an organization that helped children with cognitive problems.

Goldberg said her involvement in politics started at seven years old when her father took her out in her snow suit to campaign for Michael Dukakis, a former Massachusetts governor and Democratic nominee for president, who was running for state representative at the time.

"I'm a Democratic activist, too, and that's what I bring," Goldberg said. Goldberg said she is the only candidate in the Democratic race with experience managing people and negotiating a collective bargaining agreement. The other two candidates for treasurer on the Democratic party's primary ballot are Thomas Conroy of Wayland and Barry Finegold of Andover. Republican Michael James Heffernan of Wellesley is the only candidate from his party, so he will face the winner of those three Democrats in November's general election.

Since she has been a member of the Board of Selectmen in Brookline, Goldberg said she understands how important the state lottery funds that the treasurer's office works with are for the towns who are allowed to use the money for unrestricted municipal uses when it is distributed to them.

If she is elected treasurer, Goldberg said she would institute a statewide financial literacy program that will help to show people how to not lose their homes or not to struggle to pay their mortgage payments, so there will not be that kind of problem in Massachusetts again. Goldberg said she would also like to institute a college savings plan for children who need it most without impacting taxpayers. With growth in healthcare, high technology and bio technology, she said youths need the skills for those types of jobs. Goldberg said she wants to get more women and minorities into middle and top management jobs. She has a master of business administration degree from Harvard University, has worked as an executive for Stop & Shop and has been president of an adoption agency.

"I have the business skills, the finance skills skills to do the job," Goldberg said.

Goldberg said the last four treasurers in Massachusetts have run for other offices. Current Treasurer Steve Grossman is running for governor. But she said she is only interested in the treasurer's job.

"I'm running to be the treasurer," Goldberg said. "I feel I can make an impact, a positive impact, on people's lives. I'm excited. I think I can do this job and do it well."

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